News

High Park cherry blossoms go virtual again with #BloomAtHome, park remains open for local use

With the warm spring weather and bud development on the City of Toronto’s cherry blossom trees, the City is making arrangements for Torontonians to experience the bloom of the High Park cherry blossom trees from home again this year. In keeping with the provincial Stay-at-Home order, currently in effect across Toronto and to protect our healthcare system, the City is working to prevent crowding and gathering in High Park by offering a virtual view of the blooms while maintaining local pedestrian and cyclist access to the park for essential fresh air and exercise. To ensure people have ample space to practise physical distancing, the park will be closed to vehicle traffic.

Toronto's Accessibility Task Force on COVID-19 Vaccines to address equity gaps in vaccine access for people with disabilities

Today, Mayor John Tory announced the formation of Toronto’s Accessibility Task Force (ATF) on COVID-19 Vaccines to advise on enhanced support and access to the COVID-19 vaccine for people with disabilities. The ATF was created as part of the City of Toronto’s COVID-19 Immunization Task Force (ITF) outreach efforts and TO Supports: Targeted Equity Action Plan and is a collaboration between the City and community partners. Given the high risks associated with COVID-19 for people with disabilities, the ATF is set to make recommendations to immediately reduce the number of COVID-19 cases and effectively address issues around accessibility.

City of Toronto awards $5.5 million in COVID-19 Vaccine Engagement Teams Grants to local agencies for vaccine outreach in vulnerable communities

Today, Mayor John Tory announced the recipients of the City of Toronto’s $5.5M COVID-19 Vaccine Engagement Teams Grants – a key part of the City’s COVID-19 Community Mobilization and Engagement Plan to connect with vulnerable residents and communities across Toronto.

The grants, which have been awarded to community agencies and resident-led groups, will fund outreach and engagement activities in 140 neighbourhoods, with a specific focus on the communities that have been hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fourteen Vaccine Engagement Teams have been created, reflecting 155 community organizations across the city. Their focus is on reducing barriers to the COVID-19 vaccines, and increasing vaccination uptake among our most vulnerable residents.

'I'm walking here': City of Toronto to revamp hundreds of 'No Exit' signs that mislead walkers

April 9, 2021 By Michael Smee, CBC News

The city is getting ready to revamp hundreds of street signs that walking advocates say are misleading.

"No Exit" signs, erected as warnings for drivers, often do not apply to pedestrians, according to Coun. Paula Fletcher, whose motion titled "I'm Walking Here" was approved at this week's council meeting.

"I think during COVID people have been walking like they've never walked before," said Fletcher, who represents Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth.

Mayor John Tory launches 2021 city-wide spring cleanup

Today, Mayor John Tory officially launched Toronto's annual city-wide spring cleanup campaign.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, work at the City continues to move forward to ensure that residents have access to City services and amenities. This includes the work of essential workers from multiple City divisions who will take on the necessary work of making public spaces safe and clean for residents when they are outside for fresh air or exercise and essential workers travelling to and from work.

Team Toronto COVID-19 vaccination update

The City of Toronto is working with all our healthcare partners, pharmacies and Toronto Public Health to administer all available COVID-19 vaccines. To date, 684,809 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Toronto.

Starting today at 8 a.m., people age 50 or older who live in high-risk areas as identified by postal code can book vaccination appointments online or by phone for City-run COVID-19 immunization clinics.

City of Toronto vaccination clinic bookings opening tomorrow to residents age 50 and older from 53 postal codes identified as COVID-19 hot spots

Starting tomorrow at 8 a.m., residents age 50 and older living in COVID-19 hot spot postal codes will be able to book vaccination appointments at City-operated immunization clinics. This expanded eligibility is part of the Phase 2 Team Toronto vaccine rollout, ensuring every dose available is used to protect the most vulnerable.

The change will ensure an additional 265,518 residents are eligible to book vaccine appointments at City-run clinics.

City of Toronto urges all residents to follow new provincial order and stay home to stop the spread of COVID-19

The City of Toronto continues to respond to COVID-19. Today, the Province of Ontario declared a provincial emergency and announced that the entire province will be subject to a Stay-at-Home order as of 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, April 8.

All of Ontario, including Toronto, has been in the Shutdown Zone of the provincial COVID-19 response framework since April 3. Yesterday, the Medical Officer of Health also issued a Section 22 order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act to move all Toronto schools to remote learning until April 18.

City of Toronto working with healthcare and community partners to launch Phase 2 vaccine rollout in priority neighbourhoods

The City of Toronto and Toronto Public Health are working with healthcare partners and community leaders from across Toronto to ensure that Phase 2 vaccines get into the arms that need them most.

In the “Team Toronto” plan for Phase 2, working in partnership, Toronto Public Health, hospitals, Ontario Health Teams, doctors in the community and mobile and pop-up teams to bring vaccines directly to high-risk groups, including high-risk neighbourhoods and essential workers. The plan was created incorporating community feedback, including neighbourhood strategy elements. Team Toronto will be using every dose available to protect the most vulnerable.

City of Toronto supports province-wide Shutdown as COVID-19 cases increase

The City of Toronto continues to respond to COVID-19. Today, the Province of Ontario announced the entire province will move into the Shutdown Zone under the provincial COVID-19 response framework at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 3.

Toronto has been in the Grey Zone since March 8, with some modifications made to ease restrictions. As of Saturday morning, Toronto will join the rest of Ontario in the Shutdown Zone. In Shutdown, fitness classes and training, personal care services and indoor and outdoor dining are not permitted. Indoor social gatherings are prohibited, and outdoor social gatherings are limited to five or fewer people, with very limited exceptions. All persons attending any kind of permitted gathering must maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from any other person they do not live with.